Prison Psychiatrist: Breivik's checked over 80 times with no signs of mental instability

Prison Psychiatrist Claims Breivik's health is checked over 80 times & There are no signs of mental instability

By Eva-Therese Grøttum and Eric Brekstad Utheim | VG | Published 04.01.12 - 14:36, edited 05.01.12 - 1:34 p.m. (AP)

(AP) Three psychologists, a psychiatrist and other health personnel have checked the terror accused Anders Behring Breivik's health more than 80 times. They do not mean that he is a paranoid schizophrenic.

None of these observations show a single sign that Breivik is psychotic, that he was depressed or that there is a danger that he should take his own life.

"The cell is in good order"

It is a team of three psychologists, a psychiatrist, a prison doctor and a psychiatric nurse who has checked the accused's health since he was in Ila prison.

In the first report from the prison doctor, who examined Breivik 27 July, it says Breivik appears to be articulate and alert, and there are signs of depression.

"The cell is arranged. He gets up and shakes hands. He makes eye contact. He speaks eloquently Oslo dialect and phrases are related. (...) There appears no evidence of hallucinations in psychosis, in particular, he is not guided by voices, "said the report, which AP has been transparent in.

Since the end of July, psychiatrists and other health professionals continue to investigate Breivik regularly - a total of 80 times - without finding any sign of either psychosis or suicidal thoughts, writes Aftenposten .

Therefore, Breivik still inserted in Ila, without receiving any treatment or medication.


Diagnosed as psychotic

The observations made by health professionals in prison stands in sharp contrast to the assessments made by the two court-appointed experts Torgeir Husby and Synne Sørheim, as of November delivered their forensic psychiatric evaluation of Breivik.

Sørheim and Husby says Breivik was in a psychosis, both when he carried out terrorist attacks against Oslo and Utøya, in questioning the Utøya afterwards, and in the 13 meetings they have had with him.

They concluded that he had diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, and this is based, among other things, that he was suffering from grandiose delusions.

The report has met with considerable criticism from both the scientific community and involved in the case, but the forensic commission had no significant comments to the scientific validity of the report.

If the court chooses to consider the report at sentencing, it means that Breivik not criminally sane and can only be sentenced to compulsory psychiatric care.


At least 12 lawyers will have a new study

Oslo District Court has asked all parties to the case for input on whether they should be appointed two experts to assess Breivik again. VG can today announce that at least 12 legal aid lawyers will request a new report.

Currently the court has received four proposals. Breivik's attorney Geir Lippe City has said that his client did not want a new investigation , while aid lawyers John Arild Aasen, Thomas Nilsen and law firm Lund has requested a new investigation.

- We have recorded the last days information in the media about the mental health teams have seen him find him psychotic and paranoid schizophrenic. It stands in stark contrast to the current expert report, which states that Breivik is in need of treatment in the foreseeable future, says lawyer Nilsen told VG Nett.

He represents the parents of a boy who was killed on Utøya, and says that his clients find it difficult to take into account the fact that Breivik is criminally insane after all the criticism directed against the report.

Aid lawyer now expects that several of his colleagues will follow his example.

- I would not be surprised if there comes a rush of new demands, he said.

Like bistandasvokat John Arild Aasen, he has also requested that it be made ​​a day observation of Breivik .

Aftenposten reports that prosecutors will not request a new report.

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